Happy New Year

Well, it has been a long time since I blogged, but I thought on the last day of the year I would want to wish everyone who reads theis the most blessed of a new year. The world and life in general present us with many challenges, but our Lord is ever faithful to give us the grace needed to stand in the day. I am thankful for my family and friends, for my church, for the grace that the Lord gives us day by day. May you days be filled with a continual awareness of the presence of the Lord in your life.

Thy Will Be Done

"Lord, I pray Thee, not my will, but Thy will be done." These words of Jesus have been echoing in my heart this past week. How many times I think I know better than the Lord. How many struggles I face to bring me to the point of surrender to His will. God's ways are always best! His ways are not my ways, His thoughts not my thoughts. My wisdom is foolishness with Him. so why do I question Him? Truth be told, I would rather be in control (I think), than to rest in the awareness that He is in control, that He knows all things, and does all things first for His glory and second for my good because I am His child. May I and all who read this learn to rest in the assurance that our Heavenly Father truly knows best!

Filled with God's Spirit

John the Baptist was quite an interesting individual in the scripture. He lived in the desert, ate locust and honey, didn't wear designer clothing or ride a fancy donkey. When he preached he didn't mince words, preaching repentance and the coming of our Messiah, the Lord Jesus. He was used by God to baptize our blessed Savior, declaring, "Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world." When Christ came on the scene, he did not feel challenged, but plainly said, "He must increase, I must decrease." Such a humble man, yet with the boldness of a lion as he decried the adultery of Herod and his immoral lifestyle. Imprisoned, undoubtedly, beaten and abused, and finally beheaded, because of the lustful passions of a man who was being seduced by the seductive dances of his neice at a banquet, such was the lot in life for the one labeled the forerunner of the Lord. But what was John's secret? What made him live such a life of courage and adventure with the Lord. No doubt, he knew Jesus when he was growing up. No doubt he realized his call from God to be the one to prepare the way of the Lord. It is said of John that when his mother Elisabeth went to see the mother of Jesus, that John lept in her bosom and he was filled with the Spirit. I wander what a godly influence his parents were upon Him? I am sure it was great. I am sure they told him of the promises of God concerning the Messiah and trained him in such a way, that he was ready to fulfill God's plan for his life. So what's the point? Our daughter, Elisabeth, reminds me greatly of the Elisabeth of scripture. I have always prayed for her ( and her mother has also) that she would a woman of godly influence, filled with the Spirit of God, making a difference in the life of family and friends. Our Beth is such a young lady. God has tempered her throughout the years to be a young lady who loves the Lord, who serves Him faithfully every day, who helps her husband in training their children in the things of God. I have seen her be faithful to the Lord as she struggled through difficult times in her life, seeking the will of the Lord, not always knowing the thing to do, but always having as her desire to please her Lord. I have seen her wait patiently for the Lord for the man that God would have her spend her life with, and how God has blessed her and us with Nathan. I have seen her demonstrate that loyalty and love for her husband as they left Oklahoma to move to Alaska as Nathan pursues his military career. I have seen her as she gave birth to two wonderful, fantastic, amazing, awesome, dynamic, enthusiastic, lovable children (I have more adjectives to say about these great kids, but can you tell I love my grandkids yet?) , Breanna and Nate and can't wait until our newest grandchild is born in February. How she loves those kids and pours her life into them and her husband. I have seen her develop a love and a ministry with her husband among military couples, and young couples in their church in Alaska as they were taught through the ministry of the Pete and Debbie Livingston and the Radically Married program. And why? Because I believe she is a young lady who is learning to walk in the fullness of God's Spirit. She is a challenge and encouragement to me in my walk with the Lord and I love her dearly as I do Becky, Briit, Brooke and Bryce. Happy birthday sweetheart - Always remember Dad loves you!

A Wealthy Place

As believers in Christ, we live in a wealthy place. We are forgiven, our sins washed away with the blood of the Lamb. We have a purpose, God has ordered our steps and has included us in His plan of sharing the gospel with others so that the world may know that He is God. He has given us His Spirit, never to leave us or to forsake us - to always be there to guide us into truth so that we might know the glory of His presence in our lives. The Spirit, there to comfort and give courage in time of need and when it seems our world may be falling apart - to instruct us when to pray, what to pray, how to pray, and whom to pray for. He has given us His Word to live by its great and precious promises, to serve as a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path so that we might not sin against Him. He has given us a spiritual family with which we will spend eternity, but that is with us now for strength and encouragement, to walk with, to witness with, to pray with, to laugh with, to weep with. Many times the bonds of our spiritual family seem stronger than the bonds with our earthly family, and yet, what a blessing when we have that strong spiritual bond in the Lord with our earthly family too! It is true that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness - His grace is sufficient for every need - when we are weak, He is strong. What a wealthly place in which we believers live! Believe Him - trust Him - rejoice in Him for He is our strength and our song, our salvation, our Rock and our refuge.

My Dear Becky

Thirty two years ago today the Lord blessed us with our first child - Her name was Rebecca Lynn or Becky. From the very beginning of our sweet little girl's life, we knew that the Lord had entrusted us with someone extremely special. We named her after the Rebekah who was the wife of Isaac in the Old Testament. How that Rebekah was brought to her husband Isaac was a beautiful picture of Christ and His bride - the Church. It has always been our prayer for Becky that she would be a young lady who would be led by the Spirit of God and controlled by Him. God has answered our prayers. Becky today is a lovely young woman of God, who reflects His grace and glory as she and her husband, John, follow God's leading for their lives. Becky went throuh a lot of the struggles of a young lady during her early years, but she has always been a source of joy as God has shaped her into the young woman He wants her to be. I have had many wonderful times with her, so precious to my heart that they are difficult to express. Becky has always known when her dad needed a hug, or encouraging word, or a kiss. Her heart has always been a tender one towards the Lord, her mom and dad, and her brothers and sisters. She walks in the wisdom of the Lord and is always there when you need her, even though she lives in Pennsylvania. Becky and John are in the 2nd year of John's culinary school. Though difficult to do, they left their family and traveled to another part of our wonderful country to follow God's leading. Soon, they will finish school and, Lord willing, they will move to Colorado Springs, which is not as far as Pennsylvania, but still pretty far. While in Pennsylvania, Becky and John have been able to be close to John's parents, Steve and Phyllis Henderson. They are amazing Christians who love the Lord with all their heart and have been a tremendous blessing to John and Becky. God moved them from Georgia to Pennsylvania a little over a year before the kids moved there. John and Becky are learning to live by faith and their walk with the Lord is a constant encouragement and challenge to me. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful wife and tremendous children, all 5 of them. My prayer for them is that they continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs all the praise for giving us such a wonderful life in Him and a wonderful family. Happy Birthday sweetheart, I love you - Dad

Retraction

Only one person in the previous account was given a fictitious name to protect the innocent and that was Roger Tudor whom I mistakenly called Roger Strader. His part was so important because when Greg was getting all teary eyed over the situation, Roger kept taking some great pictures - Thanks Roger - you were terrific and it was great getting to know you and Kelley even though you guys beat me like a drum at mexican train dominos.

Stealth

Twas Friday evening, August 1. The place - under a porch of a cabin at Table Rock Lake. The time - 6:45 pm. The people - Greg Werner, Brandon Werner, Roger Strader and me - the oldest yet best looking of the group (I can say that because this is my blog and my story) - We sat quietly waiting the arrival of Britt Clay and Lauren Werner as they would enter the cove where we were carefully hidden. Though at times being attacked by ants and also concerned for the snake population that could be in the area, we sat scrunched in the most uncomfortable of positions. The temperature was hot, the humidity was high, but we were determined to take pictures of the event that was about to happen. The excitement was building, we struggled to stay quiet - and then - it happened. On our right two men, one with only one arm (this is true), and neither with shirts on got in a paddle boat and started across the cove. They had spotted us and I am sure they were wandering what 4 young men(?????) like us were doing hiding under their neighbor's porch. But though we were discovered, they did not reveal our position. Then in the quiet stillness of the cove, as these two men were out on their paddle boat ride, comes a massive speed boat ( well, maybe more like a fishing boat that had been used for skiing that week). In it the charming couple of Britt and Lauren came calmly into the cove and looked oddly at the pair in the paddle boat. But, not to be denied, stopped the boat, turned off the engine, but forgot to set the anchor. Lauren looked so beautiful I would have probably forgot to set the anchor myself. They talked for awhile, and we watched, and took pictures. And the two men kept paddling in their paddle boat. Then, Britt stood up, pulled out a ring, went down to one knee and proposed to the love of his life. Lauren said yes (praise the Lord) and gave Britt a big hug. Then they stood up and gave each other a hug again. One of the guys in the paddle boat yelled, "Hey, you all fishing over there" to which Britt replied a resounding "no". Then Britt pointed out to Lauren that she was on "candid camera" and the 4 good looking young men (yes, I mean us) came out from under the porch into the open to reveal our camera and our video recorder. The two fathers, with tears in their eyes (this is my blog and I'll cry if I want to), had their picture taken together with the newly engaged couple in the background. As for the men in the paddle boat, well, they must have decided that enough was enough. They paddled back over to their dock and wnet inside their cabin. As for the stealth crew, we loaded in our vehicle, retrurned to the loading dock where Britt and Lauren were waiting. The happily engaged couple went back to the cabin where the entire family greeted them with hugs and kisses and yes, more pictures. Soon, facebook was filling the internet with news of the couple's engagement, and calls were being made and received overflowing with congratulations at the announcement of the joyous news (which one Brooke Clay did announce a lttle earlier while the couple was on the lake). An evening of laughter, thanksgiving, blessing the couple from the fathers, mothers and others in attendance, and praise to our heavenly Father made this a most memorable time indeed. Sola Deo Gloria! This is one excited and grateful father. God is good!!!!!

PS - The descriptions and accounts of this blessed event are true and not embellished (too much)! For actual photos - view the facebook of Lauren Werner. Can we say "Praise the Lord - Hallelujah" - Amen!!!!!